I'm new here. I just built a Midwest Launch and built the steam engine and I'm hooked on live steam R/C!

I now have a few projects in the queue...
One of which is the OcCre steamboat, which I bought for a steal on the Model Expo site.
I will be using one Graham horizontal engine and a separate engine to power a generator to light it up (if there's room in the hull).

If I were you, I'd forgo the frustration & consider going with a kit designed for RC like Dumas Creole Queen. You may need to alter the hull & deepen it to carry the added displacement of a steam plant. Here are some references to look over towards your next project.

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Perhaps if you made a new, deeper hull you'd achieve the displacement you need. Boilers are heavy. You will need to calculate the weight of the superstructure, motor, boiler, burner, gas tank, etc.. If you convert the weight to grams, you will know how much displacement you need, using conversion of 1 gram = 1 cc of water. Then, length x width x depth of the hull will give you the cc's of displacement. To increase displacement, increase the depth.
eg.: A 24"x6"x2" hull would support about 4.5kg. A Maccsteam 3.5" boiler+burner+water weights about 2kg.

These boats were top heavy in real life. They were sensitive to cross winds, and models are likely to be sensitive also. There have been many successful river steamer models, though. Search for John Fryant's work on the web, he's a master.

My guess is that you'd need a much bigger boat (4 foot hull?) to support the steam stuff and a steam generator. With a ~ 2' hull, you will be limited in the weight you can carry.

Thank you for your comments!
I'll try to modify the hull of the OcCre model because I prefer the exposed horizontal engine. I will use the Graham HM1. After further thought, will stick with one engine, as it would be overkill power-wise and heavier to have 2 engines.
Will keep everyone posted. The kit won't arrive for another month or so it seems...

So if a 24"x6"x2" hull would support about 4.5kg. A Maccsteam 3.5" boiler+burner+water weights about 2kg.
It just may work without deepening the hull. The engine weighs 3.75 ounces. The R/C equipment is negligible...you can use plastic tubing for steam instead of copper, with clamps on each end.

I see you are now considering the Creole Queen. Another option I failed to mention that will involve a lot of scratch building would be the Hartman Delta Queen. Its larger than the Dumas kit but only comes as a hull.

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Plastic tube for steam instead of copper ?
I don't think that is a good idea !
Some people use silicone fuel hose on the exhaust side , but I wouldn't like steam lines at 50+psi blowing off and venting hot steam all over the place.
Dunc2504

I've used silicon model airplane fuel hose for steam lines on my boats and on a coal-fired G-gauge loco. They worked fine for me. They can blow off, as Dunc said. The experience is not particularly dangerous since the steam stream cools so quickly: I once had a water sight glass give way on a model loco with my hand in the cab; no injury whatsoever. I was lucky regarding the glass, but the stream of steam caused no burns. The biggest risk is the surprize....you will likely jerk back your hand, and you may hit something.

Another risk is if the stream shoots water droplets into your eyes...but that exists for all steam operations, and you should always wear eye protection when steaming. I've gotten a squirt of steam and water in the face while bending over a loco during steamup when the safety let go unexpectedly. Wear eye protection.

If lines are blowing off, you can increase friction-grip by tying a constrictor knot around the silicon. Cotton-wrapped polyester carpet thread works great; available at any sewing shop.

I see you are now considering the Creole Queen. Another option I failed to mention that will involve a lot of scratch building would be the Hartman Delta Queen. Its larger than the Dumas kit but only comes as a hull.

Here are photos of one that I had the chance to buy a few years back & wish that I had.

Thanks for letting me know. The Hartman is beautiful. Also thinking about the MS Chaperon... I don't love the look of the Dumas Creole Queen, and from what I've been reading, the quality is not as good as kits for OcCre or MS.

If I were you, I'd forgo the frustration & consider going with a kit designed for RC like Dumas Creole Queen. You may need to alter the hull & deepen it to carry the added displacement of a steam plant. Here are some references to look over towards your next project.

That Model Expo sternwheeler is a terrible looking creation designed by some European who doesn't know s - - - about riverboats. Get rid of it - or build it as a display model. A live steam riverboat will have to be larger. A Creole Queen model would work with a deepened hull - but the CQ isn't steam powered - she's a diesel-electric.

Here's another scratch-built stern wheel build : After two years designing and building a 63" long, steam powered sternwheeler, the W.T. Preston, sea trials are soon to begin. The complete build log can be seen on Scale Ships 1/32nd Scale Model of W.T. Preston.